Michael Rousseau, the chief executive of Air Canada, has faced widespread criticism after admitting he does not speak French during a speech in Quebec, where French is the official language. Rousseau, who has lived in the province for nearly 14 years, told reporters that learning French was not a 'priority' and that living in Montreal without knowing French was 'easy.'
His comments drew condemnation from Canadian political leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who called the situation 'unacceptable,' and Quebec Premier François Legault, who described it as 'insulting.' Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland wrote to Air Canada's chairman suggesting that knowledge of French be added as a job requirement and that 'significant improvement' in Rousseau's French be incorporated as a key performance goal.
Rousseau's remarks also sparked backlash from language advocacy groups. Marlene Jennings, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents English-language groups, said his comments 'feed the myth that English-speaking Quebecers are a privileged minority indifferent to French' and do not reflect the values of the community.
The controversy comes as Quebec debates Bill 96, proposed legislation that would strengthen the French Language Charter. The bill seeks to declare French as the official and common language of Quebec, requiring businesses with 25 or more employees to operate entirely in French, among other measures. Supporters of the bill argue it is necessary to protect French from the encroachment of English, as projections show the proportion of Francophones in Quebec could drop from 95% in 2016 to 70% by 2036.
